Michael Ryan of Claremont, a master guitarist and University of La Verne senior adjunct music professor, will perform a benefit concert for the House of Ruth at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the University of La Verne’s Morgan Auditorium.

LA VERNE >> Michael Ryan of Claremont, a master guitarist and University of La Verne senior adjunct professor, believes music stirs passion, pleasure and connections among listeners and performers.

On Saturday, Michael Ryan and Friends will use music to raise money for intervention, counseling and life services to women and children victimized by domestic violence. A 7:30 p.m. concert in ULV’s Morgan Auditorium will benefit the House of Ruth, an Inland Valley shelter and transitional assistance facility for battered women and their children.

Tickets are $25 for the concert only and $50 for the concert and the champagne reception following at the university’s Abraham Campus Center. Tickets and additional information may be obtained by calling 909-623-4364 ext. 6054 and online at http://www.houseofruthinc.org.

“When we think of a safe place, a sanctuary, we want it to be our home. A home where we raise our families, where we sleep and eat meals together and where we laugh and play together, But for some women, this dream is not their reality,” Ryan said.

“They do not feel safe in their own home. And they fear for their children’s safety, too. But there is hope for them.”

That hope can be found in the solace and services at the House of Ruth, a haven for women impacted by domestic violence. A professionally trained and personally committed staff provide a safe haven for women to rebuild their lives, lives free of abuse and fear, he added.

The House of Ruth staff first provides a safe sanctuary; then helps women learn that living in an abusive home does not allow for love, creativity or growth; creates an environment where victims find protection, comfort and understanding and enhances women’s growth with transitional living, children’s programs, counseling, community, prevention and educational outreach services.

The House of Ruth began in 1978 as a 24-hour hotline in the home of a female Claremont Graduate University student. Its continuing mission remains to “advocate for and assist women victimized by domestic violence and children exposed to violence.” In 2013, nearly 26,000 people were served by the House of Ruth’s programs, services and outreach efforts.

Ryan said his heart is equally engaged in the House of Ruth’s mission to bring resources and services to women so they can transform their lives and create new, positive conditions for their children.

“I felt a strong desire to use my music to bring attention to House of Ruth,” Ryan said to explain his commitment to making a difference in the lives of those who need help the most.

“Songs From the Heart” is the theme of the benefit concert led by Ryan and featuring his octet. Sharing the stage are Hai Muradian on flute, penny whistle and vocals; acoustic bassist Julian Johnson; Ken Soderlund on guitar and vocals; Martie Echito on piano, keyboard and vocals; Danny Oberbeck on drums, guitar and vocals; Dylan Oberbeck on percussions and mandolin; and Leslie Muradian on alto saxophone and vocals.

The university donated the use of the auditorium and campus center for the benefit.

Ryan’s musical dreams began when he was 11 and mesmerized by the Beatles. His parents, the late William Ryan and Lois Ryan Van Voorhis, did more than sing to their five children. They made music a mainstay in Ryan’s childhood home and, even after they divorced, made sure music remained an essential part of their children’s lives.

Five decades after John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney convinced him guitar licks could reach the human soul, he said he still finds music inspirational and exhilarating. His love of human and cultural diversity is reflected in his desire and ability to adapt to musical genres ranging from jazz, Spanish flamenco and Brazilian rhythms to Irish, classical, Renaissance and pop.

Ryan has performed throughout the United States, Brazil, Germany and Switzerland. He graduated from Arroyo Elementary and Marshall Middle schools in Pomona and Claremont High School, then completed a bachelor’s in music with an emphasis on guitar performance and voice at ULV and a master’s in vocal performance/opera at Chico State University.

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